permaculture

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

Preventing, remediating degradation of soils in Europe through land care
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131128133919.htm#.Upqu3k_hlxE.twitter

*The cross-cutting aim of the RECARE project is to fill the knowledge gaps
in the understanding of the complexity and functioning of soil systems and
their interaction with human activities. The current state of degradation
and conservation will be assessed using a new methodology, based on the
WOCAT mapping procedure, and impacts of degradation and conservation on
soil functions and ecosystem services will be quantified in a harmonized,
spatially explicit way, accounting for costs and benefits, and possible
trade-offs. (Credit: Wageningen University and Research Centre)*
"The cross-cutting aim of the RECARE project is to fill the knowledge gaps
in the understanding of the complexity and functioning of soil systems and
their interaction with human activities. "It is a very large project,"
project leader Coen Ritsema says. "It has a strong Wageningen UR
participation with the chair group Soil Physics and Land Management as lead
contractor, and Alterra and ISRIC as full project partners. The total
project budget is 11 million euro, the budget of the 3 Wageningen partners
amounts to 2 million euro. The European Commission contributed 8.6 million
euro. Besides participation of universities and research institutes, also
multiple small and medium enterprises are embedded within the initiative up
to a level of 15% of the available project budget."

RECARE envisions to develop effective prevention, remediation and
restoration measures using an innovative trans-disciplinary approach,
actively integrating and advancing knowledge of stakeholders and scientists
in 17 case studies, covering a range of soil threats in different
bio-physical and socio-economic environments across Europe. Within this
context, soil degradation processes, like water erosion, salinization,
compaction, sealing, desertification, floods and landslides, loss of
organic matter, contamination, and loss of soil biodiversity will receive
the required attention."